Harry Potter and the Rune Sorceror
by sas83
Summary: Rune magic has awoken and the world of shadows and Harry Potter will collide


Diclaimer: I don't own any characters except Elena Raven, everyone and everything else in this story belongs to J.K. Rowling. And so on.  
  
Harry Potter and the Rune Sorcerer  
  
Albus Dumbledore stood uneasily gazing up at the muggle house; it seemed far too symmetrical for his tastes, but to each his own. He had not ventured here for so long and yet the image in his mind had remained accurate. It was bemusing and disturbing too him, he had confronted many things and seen more than most wizards would in two lifetimes and yet faced with this house, with what he knew waited within.On the surface it seemed nothing to fear, it was just a sixteen year old and yet his hand shook slightly as he reached for the doorbell. His niece, Ananda, greeted him at the door; she looked so much older than her years, her blue eyes almost grey with worry, she had fought for so long to keep this day from coming, to deny it to herself, but with his brother Aberforth's death, time had finally run out. They could not hide this any longer, with the return of Voldemort; they had to act quickly. He followed Ananda into the house and was met by her sullen faced husband Aaron, he looked less than pleased to see him, but that was to be expected. Dumbledore shook his hand and stared into a face that was so like one that haunted the nightmares of so many wizards, the same dark hair and pale complexion, the same strength. He indicated towards the lounge, a warning look in his eye, he may be a squib, but he was not about to feel threatened by Albus Dumbledore.  
  
Dumbledore took a breath and stepped into the lounge. She sat on the sofa waiting for him, Elena Marvolo Raven, obviously aware that something terrible had happened, from the concerned look she wore as she stared out of the window. He knew that nothing he would say would ease those fears, probably only increase her burden, he sighed, so much for someone so young, he was tired of placing such responsibility on such young shoulders. She turned to face him, she looked so beautiful, her long raven black hair framing her face, her eyes so dark they were almost black, with her mothers full red lips. But he wasn't a fool; he saw it all, all her heritage, right there in her face. She was capable of so much, already her powers had began to show themselves, with her prophetic dreams and perhaps as her mother had noted a certain affinity with nature. She looked up at him.  
  
"So you're my great uncle, are you the one they sent to explain our families deep dark secret, that's had my parents on eggshells." Elena asked tersely, she glared at him coldly, he looked every inch the stereotype of a wizard; chest-length white beard, long flowing robes and pointed hat.  
  
"Hello Elena, it's good to see you again too, though I doubt you remember our last meeting, you were only a baby after all." Dumbledore replied unfazed by her obvious irritation. He sat down beside her.  
  
Elena watched him intently. "So go on tell me, put me out of my misery."  
  
Dumbledore took a breath, "Your parents have already explained about the magical world, with wizards and witches." He watched her less than amused expression.  
  
Elena ran her tongue over her teeth still not quite sure of what to make of all that, she'd had a year to deal with that particular bombshell. Her parents had apparently seen it necessary to explain how she'd somehow dreamt her father's car accident the day before it had happened. Or the time she got into a flaming row with them over her latest boyfriend and had somehow smashed every window, mirror and glass in the house simultaneously. She wasn't quite sure she wanted to believe it, or even go there, if her parents had been rejected by that world then maybe it wasn't the best place for her. "Yeah, they told me!" Was all she replied, but he seemed to understand her unspoken feelings.  
  
"Elena, my dear, I am aware how difficult this all is, how much it is to take in, but there is a lot more you have to know, more that I wish I didn't have to burden you with, but we have no more time, you are no longer safe, none of us are." Dumbledore replied wearily, for the first time since he came in looking old. Elena sat up straight, taking notice, he seemed so sad, so tired, 'what could he possibly have come to tell her that was that bad?'  
  
"As with many of life's problems I'm afraid it is all about family." Dumbledore replied a slight smile playing over his face at her grin. He reached into his robes and pulled out a piece of parchment. "I would like to show you our family tree." He opened the parchment.  
  
They were some of the strangest names Elena had ever seen, at least she finally knew where she'd gotten the middle name Marvolo, the kids at her school had, had a field day with it. Then she saw it the name that sent a chill threw her, Merlin, she was related to Merlin. "You mean he was actually a real wizard, a real person?" she asked surprised.  
  
Dumbledore smiled. "Yes of course, I believe he is the best known wizard in the human world, but that was because there were so few of us back then, and the fact that his power was so great." Dumbledore added quietly.  
  
Elena's eyes flicked over to the name 'Riddle', written underneath was the name in inverted comma's 'Lord Voldemort.' Elena stared riveted by it, this name meant something, she'd heard it before, could almost see the face to whom it belonged, but it was like trying to remember a dream, the harder she tried the more it slipped away, an uneasy feeling crept through her.  
  
"Ah," Dumbledore sounded noticing what she had seen, "Do you know this name?" Elena was about to say no, but hesitated, he interpreted her silence correctly. "I'll take that as a perhaps." He met her eyes.  
  
"He's the reason you're here." She realised not knowing how.  
  
He nodded solemnly. "I'm afraid so, I knew him as a boy as Tom Riddle, his father as you can see was a muggle, who killed his wife when he realised she was a witch. He then died himself, possibly at the hands of his son, your father's half brother, Riddle was then forced to live in an orphanage, I'm afraid I didn't realize how angry the whole experience had made him. You see your grandmother, Marian Marvolo rejected your father when he was born as, what we wizards call a 'squib'. Sometimes when great powers and bloodlines combine, the magic fizzles and the wizard is born without powers. This happened in the case of your mother and father." He explained.  
  
Elena frowned. "Great bloodlines, you mean these?" She asked pointing at the three names underlined.  
  
"Yes, the names of our family are only the descendents, not the children directly, that would take more parchment than I could easily carry. You see they were three of the founders of 'Hogwarts School for witchcraft and wizardry.'" Elena nodded,  
  
"The school your headmaster of right, the only British school for magic." Elena remembered, there didn't seem to be much of a magical community here in America.  
  
Dumbledore smiled. "Yes I see your parents have tried to explain everything to you." He turned to acknowledge her parents, who stood rigidly, watching from the doorway. "But I'm afraid not everything in our world is as pleasant as you may believe. You see Riddle grew to hate muggles, because of his father, his anger was fuelled by the knowledge of his heritage, to Salizar Slytherin, who had detested muggles and muggle born wizards. He made a new name for himself, one to strike fear into all that heard it, 'Lord Voldemort'. He gathered supporters, who became known as Deatheaters, together they lay siege to the wizarding world, using unforgivable curses, causing death, fear and panic. They were dark times. But fortunately there was hope despite the death." Dumbledore went on to explain to her about Harry Potter and his connection to all this.  
  
Elena looked stood up and ran her hands through her hair, he wasn't joking it was a lot to take in. She wasn't sure how to handle this; she was the descendent of greatness, both for good and unspeakable evil. She turned back to face him. "Where exactly do I fit in all of this, you've told me all this happy information for a reason after all!" Elena eyed him suspiciously; she didn't really want to know.  
  
Dumbledore stood up; he stood a head higher than her and looked down his crooked nose at her, his eyes sympathetic. "Because I believe you can help us, you see Merlin was greater than any other wizard ever to live, even me, and most certainly Voldemort. He possessed a magic that has never again been mastered."  
  
Elena's breath caught, she knew what he was speaking about, she'd seen it in a dream, she had barely even thought about it until know, it hadn't mattered, she just figured it had been the result of the news that magic was real. She had seen Merlin in her dream, had watched him call upon the forces of nature, watched him cast the runes. She'd been to Stonehenge, she'd heard the stories, been to the gift shop. "Runes." She ventured again not sure how she knew.  
  
Dumbledore could not hide his surprise, her parents shook their heads, they hadn't told her. He stared at her in awe, could she see so much already, was it possible? "Yes," he finally managed to reply. "It is a natural ability that can not be learnt, a powerful magic, we teach the knowledge but the practical ability to cast, is lost to us. An ability I believe you have inherited. You are the first in our family, Merlin himself predicted your arrival, for he too had the power of 'second sight.'"  
  
Elena didn't know what to say, what could you say to that, finding out your were a witch or whatever was hard enough, but to find out you possessed an ability to wield a magic not used since Merlin, well that was a little too much! "Look Uncle, I hate to break it to you, but I can't control the forces of nature, I can't cast runes, and I only had a few dreams that came true. Not exactly the next magical prodigy potential there."  
  
Dumbledore reached into his pocket and pulled out a stone with a symbol engraved on it. Elena recognized it from her dream. "This is a rune stone Elena, it is Uraz, the rune to pierce the veil between worlds. It belonged to Merlin and was passed down to me. Only I have never been able to use it. Perhaps you can." He held it out to her.  
  
Elena eyed the stone, the symbol for Uraz was like an inverted 'u'. She reached out her hand she was ashamed to see that it shook as she slipped her fingers over the stone and placed it in the palm of her hand. "What do I do with it?" She asked after a few seconds.  
  
Dumbledore shrugged, "As I said before, I do not know, but I believe you have to cast the rune."  
  
Elena just frowned, 'How the hell was she meant to do that.' The rune glowed then as if in answer to her question, it scalded her skin, yet she couldn't move it, even as the heat intensified, she simply watched transfixed, as images began to take shape in her mind. And a voice, His voice, reverberated through the room. "By blood and magic, my flesh and bone, my gift I give to thee." Elena was hit then by a blinding force, that seemed to lift her from the ground, then she felt it, the magic, the knowledge, coursing through her, unlocked, she knew the runes as she knew her own hands, they were a part of her, carved onto her very bones. The light faded, Elena stood, staring at the rune stone in her hand, her mother was calling to her, held back by her father. Only Dumbledore stood impassively, waiting for her to respond. They had all heard the message, understood it's meaning. Merlin had given her the knowledge of the runes.  
  
"The stone held its secrets all this time." Elena spoke suddenly, startling her mother. Dumbledore stepped towards her and closed his hand around hers and the stone.  
  
"It was simply waiting for the right wizard to wield it. It didn't give you anything you did not already possess, it simply showed you how to use it." Dumbledore explained.  
  
Elena glanced up at him, meeting his eyes, "You knew this would happen." She realized.  
  
He smiled softly. "I had suspected. Such a powerful magic can not go untrained and unmastered, Merlin learned that lesson the hard way over many lifetimes. He left this with his family with the instruction that it be given to the next in our line to possess his gift of 'second sight', he has given his legacy to you. I'm sure with the hope that you will use it well. You are his heir by blood and by magic, the first in over two thousand years, these things do not happen by chance Elena, it was meant to be yours."  
  
Elena nodded, then fell silent, before asking the question she knew she must. "Now what, where do I go, what do I do with this?"  
  
Dumbledore placed a hand gently on her shoulder; "You take your place at Hogwarts, where you belong."  
  
Elena watched in awe as London fell away, it was an experience just to see England, after all she was a Seattle girl at heart, although it did seem to rain as much here as the rainy city she called home. But this was nothing like she could have imagined the wall behind the pub opened and a street appeared. Everything was so odd, the buildings were so crooked she was afraid they'd topple the people, all wizards and witches bustling up and down the crooked streets in their shabby multi-coloured robes. It really was another world and here she was clueless as to how to exist in it, her only guide, her aging Great Uncle. He had excused himself almost as soon as they had arrived, staying only long enough to ensure she had her school supplies list and instructions to meet him back at the Leaky Cauldron in a few hours. She shook her head wearily, for some reason he'd thought she would be better off exploring the wizarding world alone, and as he regretfully had pointed out, his presence besides a young unknown girl would raise too many questions, particularly now. So she was alone, with a pocket full of strange gold coins that were far too heavy to be practical. She sighed she couldn't just stand here, she was starting to regret not accepting the robe Uncle had tried to give her, she looked a little out of place in her jeans and off the shoulder dark red top, strange it had seemed fine in the London high-street. She looked down at the list even that was unfamiliar to her, no math, no chem, and no bio! Instead she had a list of very gothic sounding books to pick up, some foul potions and she balked, a wand? Where the hell was she going to get all this, this place was like a labyrinth of streets; even malls had maps! She began walking in what seemed as good a direction as any.  
  
The first shop that took her attention was a sports shop of some kind, only it didn't have basketballs and trainers, instead hung in pride of place was a broom. Elena stared at it, then back at her list, it didn't say anything about one of them, she shrugged and went in anyway, pleased to find the store full of people her own age, umming and aahing over what seemed like the latest bye's. At least they weren't completely different from the kids she knew. She stood at the counter, the shopkeeper instantly bustled over to her, a grin forming on his face.  
  
"What can I get you miss?" He asked pleasantly, taking in her appearance with the barest of nods.  
  
Elena raised an eyebrow. "I'm new to this, you tell me, do I need a broom for Hogwarts?"  
  
His grin spread, "Little old for a first year aren't you?" He asked almost having to look up at her as he said it, she was fairly tall at 5'6.  
  
Elena just smiled sweetly at him, in a way that had gotten her so many underage drinks, "I'm just tall for my age, can you help me?" This seemed to settle him, his grin grew with the prospect of a sale, Elena got the distinct impression she was about to be told she required the best and therefore most expensive broom in the store. She held up her hand, "How about a broom that doesn't say hey look at me I'm new?" she replied helpfully. He looked a little crestfallen at this.  
  
"This is the Firebolt, it's not the most expensive, but it's certainly one of the best, 0-60 in 6 seconds. Or you've got the nimbus' better than most have, but nothing in comparison, not too different in price though. It's up to you though miss since you seem to have an idea what you want." He explained.  
  
Elena took hold of the firebolt, it certainly looked cool, with a black and red finish, fairly light too, when she compared it to the Nimbus's, she nodded, I'll take this one then." She replied and handed it to the shopkeeper, who smiled politely and went behind the counter to package it up for her. No flat packing Elena noted, she'd half expected him to shrink it into a small bag, Disney style. She handed over a handful of coins, trusting him to take only what he needed. "So where would I go to find a wand?"  
  
Five minutes later she was standing inside a musty shop called Olivander's; waiting patiently for someone to appear. He appeared from the back, looking as old as the dust that covered his shop.  
  
"Can I help you miss?" He asked pleasantly. Elena returned the smile politely, "I need a wand." She replied.  
  
He nodded, "May I have your name." He asked gently  
  
Elena hesitated was she supposed to give it out? "Erm, Elena."  
  
"Ah yes, Miss Raven, Professor Dumbledore said I could expect you." He disappeared into the back and emerged a few minutes later, dustier and holding a thin box in his hand. He placed it on the desk almost reverently. He looked up at Elena and beckoned her closer. "I have never removed this wand from its box, never even removed it from its shelf. But Professor Dumbledore seems to believe it's time has come again. So I would ask you to open it."  
  
Elena just stared at him, was nothing ever going to be normal when it came to her? She sighed and would have rolled her eyes, except she noticed the symbol on the wands case, it was Nauthiz the rune for containment. Elena's finger traced the symbol almost instinctively, she knew what was inside, Merlin's wand. her wand. She opened the lid, there it lay, as if waiting for her, it seemed to shine, with a blue and silver hue, she ran her finger down it and felt the indentations that could only be seen dimly in the light, runes, carved all along the wand. Mr. Olivander was standing stock still, staring at her and the wand in awe. She held it out to him, he backed up and shook his head.  
  
"No I can not hold it, no one can, until now." He all but whispered.  
  
Elena stared at him, he knew who she was, what that meant, was that safe, could he be trusted? He seemed to shake himself and met her eyes. "Yes well, it seems we have found the wand for you, as always, confidentiality between the wand-maker and the wizard exists." He was all business again, as though it was nothing out of the ordinary.  
  
"How much do I owe you?" She asked as he all but bustled her out of the shop.  
  
"No charge, my dear, the wand was already yours I was merely keeping it for you." He replied and with that she found herself out on the street again. She looked down the wand was safely tucked away in it's box underneath her arm, how the hell was she supposed to blend in and be insignificant with Merlin's wand. She shook her head in defeat for the hundredth time today and carried on, she needed books, potions, dress robes and an animal. She looked down at her watch, she'd have to hurry her Uncle obviously wasn't used to dealing with girls and shopping, he hadn't given her a great deal of time and she didn't really want to keep him waiting. She hurried through the streets, forgetting to appear as if she fit in, as she asked everyone in her way where to go. The robes weren't as bad as she'd thought, although dress robes were a nightmare. The seamstress had pulled out practically every one in the store in her excitement. Delighting in finding out that Elena had no other robes and so would need at least two for the formal balls. Elena didn't suppress a roll of the eyes this time and simply allowed the woman to pick out the ones that she thought best suited her colouring and size. By the time she was done, she'd got a beautiful blue and silver silk number, her own choice of colouring and a dark red velvet kind, the seamstress's choice!  
  
Elena hurried on, a fleeting thought that she'd never be able to carry anything else struck her; she'd better get a pet that could fly or walk beside her cause she couldn't carry it. She managed to get the directions from a very sharp-nosed witch who had scrutinised every inch of her before giving up the information, Elena had had to resist the urge not to strangle the woman; she didn't think it would set the best impression. 'Guess the kick-boxing habit would have to be curved to'. It was 13:00 when she emerged from Flourishing Blots, with an armful of books that made her whole body ache with the effort of carrying them. Thankfully she didn't have to go far for the potions, she skimped on a few larger bottles, she'd borrow them of Dumbledore later, she couldn't carry them now. She turned and almost ran down the cobbled streets to the Familiar's store, she dumped her belongings on the counter and began to look at the cages and the various creatures. Cats, frogs, rats performing tricks, owls hooted regally at her. Nothing struck her, the owls looked too much work, the cats too boring, she didn't even look at the rats and frog; they simply didn't appeal. A pair of yellow eyes suddenly leapt at her sharp teeth bared, they came up short a mighty hand gripping the creature mid flight.  
  
"Sorry 'bout that miss, damn thing was sent here by mistake, he's been trying to take a chunk out of everyone that comes in reach." She held a spitting black and yellow snake in her hand, it was the size of a small python, with a body almost as long as her and about as thick as her leg.  
  
But Elena barely heard the woman she was focussed entirely on the snake and his frantic pleas for help, either she was nuts or she could hear the damn thing! It was a silent reminder of her darker heritage, of Slytherin and 'Him'. She sighed as the snake raised its eyes to hers. "Pleeeassse, chooosssee mee. Seeva heelppz yoouuz." Elena noticed the owner staring oddly at her, "I'll take the Snake." She replied suddenly, knowing it was a bad idea, but unable to stop herself; the snake seemed to smile at her, hissing its thanks. Elena ignored it and the warnings of the owner.  
  
"But miss, why him, he's a snake, not house trained and dangerous, I shouldn't even sell him." The owner pleaded.  
  
"Look I'll take him off your hands, no responsibility on you. It'll stop scaring away your customers this way." Elena reasoned. The owner relented and sold her the snake for a much lower price than even the frogs. Elena smiled and thanked the woman, taking the small box the snake Seeva had curled up in and went to leave.  
  
"Why him?" The woman asked suddenly as if needing some kind of explanation for her madness.  
  
Elena grinned and turned away, "He was the only one who asked." She replied barely above a whisper as she hurried into the street and back towards the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
The place looked even dingier than when she'd first entered this morning, but at least then she'd had her Uncle with her, one scowl from him had been enough to stave off most questions. Now though, she seemed open game, lost of old wizards kept coming up to her trying to find out who she was, or generally trying to impart age old wisdom and stories. She grinned inwardly, if only they knew, she had so many stories of an age gone by inside her mind that it made her head ache, and memories that simply had no place in there. She sighed trying politely to listen without listening to the old man in front of her as she tried to sink further into the seat, praying he'd take the hint. She heard Seeva from inside his box, hissing for release, offering his services in his own way to get rid of the fool disturbing his sleep. Elena couldn't suppress the smile and was a little unnerved at how tempting Seeva's offer really was. She stood up as the man took a break for air and excused herself to go get another drink, she turned to leave when she felt a rough, forceful hand come down on her shoulder, she glanced down, it wasn't her Uncle's hand! Instinct took over, she'd been to way too many self-defence classes for it not to, she gripped the hand, whilst simultaneously delivering a blow to his midsection, he grunted. She felt the grip on her shoulder loosen, she wasted no time, she wrenched the hand free and used his own weight to pull him round, taking the arm underneath his pit and applying weight, until the shoulder almost popped. She took a good look at him, he was haggard, badly scarred and seemed to have only one real eye, he struggled beneath her grasp, she held his arm fast behind him, applying enough pressure to stop him struggling for fear of breaking his own arm. Then she noticed the others, he wasn't alone, a woman with startlingly pink hair looked shocked but began to move towards them and another, this guy looked rough, like he'd been pulled through a hedge backwards, they all held their hands beneath their robes, obviously on their wands. 'Shit!' she groaned inwardly, "why do I always end up in bar fights?" she muttered aloud, as she noticed two more wizards approaching tightly gripping their wands, these two both had fiery red hair a man and woman, they looked almost normal compared to the other three.  
  
The bar seemed to have gone deathly silent. All eyes were on her and the wizard held in her grasp. "She got Mad Eye!" She heard the old man who'd been wagging her ear off mutter.  
  
She looked around frantically, no one was going to help her.she knew that much.  
  
"Hey okay just take it easy, You okay Mad Eye?" The balding red headed man asked, behind a thick London accent. The man in her grasp uttered a profanity and tried to free himself, or his wand whichever was easier.  
  
"Hey!" Elena yelled and pushed to breaking point, "Don't make me break it!" she warned. Just then Seeva seemed to manage to free himself from his box and took in the situation as best he could and concluded, as he always seemed to, that it required biting someone. He launched at the pink haired woman who let out a screech and released a burst of light at Seeva, but it went sailing over him as he landed next to her and sank his teeth into her leg. "NO Seeva!" Elena yelled, she gave the guy in her grip a swift kick up the backside that sent him flying into a nearby table and hurled herself after the snake, 'God I hope he's not poisonous' she muttered to herself as she pulled him off the now feint looking woman. Seeva hissed an indignation, before screeching a warning, the wizards were advancing on her wands now raised!  
  
Elena scrambled to her feet.  
  
"We don't want to hurt you love." The round red haired woman offered trying to sound genuine, the wand in her hand not backing up the tone of voice.  
  
"The hell we don't!" The guy that had grabbed her muttered, glaring at her, he looked a lot worse from the front, his one eye was white and whizzing around in his head, there was a piece missing out of a gnarled nose, it was altogether a frightening face.  
  
Elena didn't know what to do, she was outnumbered five to one, well two if she counted the furiously hissing snake. Not to mention out magicked as they waved wands at her. She couldn't hope that her Uncle would be by any minute to save her and her kickboxing abilities were okay as a surprise attack or one on one, but against this it wasn't going to help. In desperation she reached into her mind, into the memories of a time long past, into a knowledge that wasn't her own and drew on it, she needed help, she screamed it into the abyss of the shadows inside her, demanding they answer her now. She felt the power surge through her, the memory of it coursing through her veins, familiar and altogether new.  
  
"We'll just cast a stunning spell, take her back and sort it out there." She heard one of them mutter, she could see them approach her wands raised, but it was like looking through a haze, down a long tunnel. She saw the sparks fly from the wand, saw the magic coursing through the air at her, felt her hand raise and the word leave her lips, reverberating through the stillness, carving the rune into the very air between them "Algiz!" The air shimmered as the spell bounced off, the sound of the word seemed to shake the very foundations of the building, the rune of protection had been cast for the first time in over two thousand years.  
  
Elena stood stock still behind the shield, the air hummed with the energy of a magic so long forgotten, it cried for release, she could feel it now, beneath the surface rippling. waiting. She turned back to face her attackers, the energy still coursed through her, making her whole body feel electrified as she stared them down. They took a step back, all except the one who had attacked her, he stared at her in bewilderment.  
  
"Elena." The voice hit her like a gale force wind, commanding in everything, only diminished slightly by the barrier between them. She turned to face the voice; relief filled her. "Finally!" she managed weakly, a grin escaping at the sight of her Uncle.  
  
"Dumbledore, she attacked us!" The gnarled man cried, to Elena's surprise her Uncle placed a hand on his shoulder, "It's alright Alistair. I should have warned her before I sent you." He turned back to her.  
  
"You sent them?" She asked in disbelief, her concentration broke and the barrier fell. She could see him clearly now. "I thought. " She trailed off not sure what to say, "He grabbed me by the shoulder, I come from a big city, girls gotta know how to take care of herself!" she replied trying to sound slightly apologetic.  
  
"Well I see you have that well in hand," she could have sworn he winked as he held his arm out to her, "I think we should be leaving on that note." He managed a weak apologetic smile to the other bar patrons, as he led her away, Seeva slid up around her neck and hissed back at them all as they left, her 'would be attackers' following at a wary distance, helping the unfortunate pink haired young woman between them.  
  
The rest of the journey went in silence, they walked to a 'port-key' the use of which was briskly explained to her, then they arrived on a quiet, run down looking estate. They all made their way across the street, she was handed a piece of paper, by the now very surly gnarled man, on it was written an address, 'The Order of the Phoenix is at 18 Grimauld Place." She nodded, "I see, now it all makes sense." She replied unable to hide the sarcasm.  
  
"Memorize it Elena." Her Uncle replied in a warning tone.  
  
"I think I got it." She replied testily. "Why?"  
  
"Only those that know where to find this place, actually can." He shrugged in explanation as of it was as simple as the reason the sky was blue.  
  
Elena turned to look at the houses in front of her, there was no number 18, then before her very eyes, the houses 17 and 19 began to move and an ugly looking house appeared between them, pushing them aside appearing miraculously where there had been no space. Elena just raised an eyebrow, a little surprised, but she'd come to expect this kind of strangeness. "Huh!' was her only response as her Uncle led the way into the house.  
  
If this house looked a mess from the outside, inside was much, much worse, it had that old people smell about it, too many years of dust and magic she noted, not sure how she knew that. The shadows here seemed so dark and old, cobwebs hung from every nook, and the temperature seemed to drop a few degrees, she shuddered involuntarily, there was a darkness to this house that had nothing to do with the lack of natural light. "Nice place." She muttered to herself.  
  
"Okay, everyone into the kitchen, Molly if you wouldn't mind, whipping us all up some butterbeers, I think we have a lot to discuss. Oh and Lupin, just check out Tonks' leg, make sure it isn't serious, or poisoned."  
  
Elena turned to look at the woman, she wasn't much older than herself; she felt a twinge of guilt, but she hadn't known nor had Seeva. She felt the snake curl tighter around her arm and neck, protectively. He lifted his head to hers. "Are you poisonous?" She asked, feeling strange doing so, it was a snake after all.  
  
He shook his head, "Noot toodaay." He hissed. Elena frowned it wasn't exactly the answer she'd wanted, but it would do.  
  
She turned to tell the others, they were silent and watched her with a series of nervous expressions. She met her Uncle's weary look, "He says he didn't poison her, though I think he could have." She interpreted. Her Uncle nodded and led her into the kitchen nodding to the others, silencing their obvious questions with a look.  
  
There were more people inside the kitchen seated and in obvious discussion, more wizards and witches that looked up as they entered, interpreting the grim looks on their friends faces in a way she could only guess at. She got the distinct impression that she hadn't been what they'd expected.or that she had? She couldn't tell which. Then she noticed the others, sat on the far side of the table, they looked about her age, one boy, with hair as black as her own, glasses and a lightening scar on his forehead got her attention. 'Harry Potter' she hadn't realised she'd said it out loud.  
  
The others looked at her, her Uncle just smiled, "Sit down Elena."  
  
Elena glared at him. "Well that depends, on whether or not you're going to tell me what the hells going on! I come here, I trust you and I get dumped in the middle of the magic shopping mall, then you send these lot to fetch me with out warning!" He just met her tirade impassively and indicated to a seat. She rolled her eyes and Seeva hissed in agreement as she slid onto the chair and stared impatiently at him.  
  
The large red haired woman 'Molly' appeared in front of her and placed a number of pint glasses down, which contained something that looked and smelled far too sugary to be beer. She glanced down the table, everyone was watching her suspiciously, she looked away ignoring them, she couldn't be bothered with all this.  
  
"Well now that everyone's here, may I introduce a new member to the Order of the Phoenix, Elena Marvolo Raven meet the Order of the Phoenix."  
  
This was met by an immediate uproar; from which Elena managed to glean the understanding that, not only did they not know who she was and so couldn't trust her. But Harry and his friends as well as 'Molly' seemed outraged that someone so young could be a member, though Harry and his friends seemed more upset that they weren't members.  
  
Dumbledore took this all as impassively as she did, not knowing what the Order was; she didn't know how to feel about it one way or the other!  
  
"Professor Dumbledore.you can't be serious, she attacked us without due cause, she used a magic.hell I can't even describe what happened!" The gnarled man argued his voice rising above the others.  
  
"Then perhaps if you all quiet down I will tell you." Dumbledore replied coolly, it had the desired effect.  
  
Elena stiffened, hadn't he told her that no one was allowed to know their little family secret for fear of it getting to Voldemort?  
  
"Is that such a good idea?" She asked him a little uneasily.  
  
"Elena these wizards can be trusted, Voldemort will not hear of this from them."  
  
She wasn't convinced. "How can you be sure, especially with this?" she added cryptically.  
  
"Trust in me." He asked gently  
  
Elena wanted to, but found the words wouldn't come, "Earn it first." She replied just as coolly staring him down.  
  
"Hey no one speaks to Professor Dumbledore that way!" A gruff voice snapped, Elena took in the owner of the voice, the guy was all hair and had to be at least 8ft.  
  
"Hagrid, please not now, Elena has every right to be angry at me, more so than any of you know." He sighed, this information was met by quiet surprise, what could it possibly be that gave this young woman the right to speak to Albus Dumbledore so? "Many of you know my brother Aberforth, you may not be so familiar with his daughter Ananda, she lives in the muggle world as she was born a 'squib'. Elena is my Grandniece, my brothers Grandchild. Though I wish that was where this story ends." The faces around the table seemed stunned into silence by this knowledge.  
  
"Wow, they took that well," She quipped sarcastically, "Since they took that so well I'll bet they just lap up the rest of it!" she muttered, he sent her a warning look as they shifted uncomfortably, obviously realizing this wasn't the actual bombshell. You could practically smell the anticipation from them.  
  
"But her name was Raven.Marvolo Raven." Harry managed confused, the name Marvolo sending off warning bells in his head. "As in Tom Marvolo Riddle.VOLDMORT!" he cried. This was met by silence and worried glances as they seemed to take in her appearance anew, the dark hair, the snake and the parselmouth.  
  
Dumbledore met their stares and placed a reassuring hand on Elena's shoulder. "Ananda married another squib, Wilber Raven's son Aaron. What most people do not know, what was buried by our respective families, is Aaron's lineage. His mother was Marian Marvolo, when Aaron was born she rejected him as he was born without magical ability, she left Wilbur and remarried and had another son, someone we are all familiar with I'm afraid, Tom Riddle!"  
  
This was met with absolute silence, followed by sharp intakes of breath, no one dared speak, what the hell could they say to that. "Oh if you think that's bad, it gets worse," Elena pushed. She didn't believe they could look anymore concerned but somehow they managed it.  
  
"Yes well, I'm afraid our family has more than its fair share of secrets. As you may have gathered from what I've told you Elena is the descendent of three bloodlines, Gryffindor, through my family, Ravenclaw through Wilbur and Slytherin through Marian." He paused to allow this to sink in. "When such powerful bloodlines merge, the magic often fizzles as it did in Elena's parents, but in Elena there was one more factor that refused to be contained. There is one final lineage in my own family tree that needs to be addressed. That of Merlin."  
  
They had to wait again for the shocked murmuring to die down before he could continue, 'good job I don't have to be anywhere' Elena thought, 'this could take hours!  
  
"Merlin was a powerful wizard as you know, with the unique ability to cast the runes granted by his affinity to nature, as well as his gift for 'second sight'. He prophesied his own heir, generations down the line, he left instructions within his family that there would be one born with his own gift of sight, that when they came they were to receive a rune that he had enchanted. So when Elena presented an apparent ability for sight, I did as instructed, the rune contained more than I had ever expected, it contained all of Merlin's knowledge of the runes, it unlocked in Elena that same magic. For as Merlin foresaw and had witnessed first hand, such raw magical ability and power can not go untrained, he sought to save her the pain that he endured in learning this. The ability was always within her, she is Merlin's heir by blood and by magic. This coupled with her other inherited bloodlines, has created something of a nexus of power that has begun to manifest."  
  
Again a stunned silence met them. Dumbledore watched as they seemed to struggle with this information, most of them didn't seemed to reach the train of thought and acceptance he had expected, 'was he already so blinded by his connection to this girl that he had missed something?'  
  
Harry, Hermione and Ron sat mesmerized, they weren't always used to being privy to the inner workings and secrets of the Order. But this, what the hell was anyone supposed to say to this. Dumbledore hadn't even given them any warning he was about to tell them something this huge. Harry watched her a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach; he wasn't alone anymore, there was someone else now that bore the same weight of destiny as he did. He felt oddly released; her tie to Voldemort was as strong as his. would that mean Voldemort would leave him alone now? He quickly squashed this thought, realising how dark it actually was; he would never wish that on anyone especially to save himself.  
  
"OK!' Elena cut in breaking the dark atmosphere. "And on that cheerful note, I think I'm going to leave." She stood quickly, eager to be away from these people; all of which were looking at her with expressions that ranged from curiosity and hostility all the way down to down right hatred and fear. Although there was a rather greasy looking lanky man with a severe face, dressed all in black, who was looking at her in a way that made her distinctly uncomfortable. She was met with silence. She shook her head, "Fine whatever." She muttered, "So much for British hospitality, I didn't even get offered one of your famous cups of tea!" She quipped, but her tone was bitter, they upset her more than she would have liked.  
  
Her comments then seemed to wake a few out of their respective dazes; they at least had the decency to look a little ashamed. The red haired woman opened her mouth to say something and Elena's patience snapped.  
  
"You know what just save it." She muttered cutting her off with a startled look. With that she turned on her heel and stalked out of the room Seeva's angry hiss saying what she held back! At least they seemed to have the common sense not to follow her or look for her.she needed to be alone for a while, this house was big enough to serve that purpose. She found herself standing in a dark attic staring out of a window that showed nothing of the outside world, strange, but not the strangest thing she'd seem so far. This whole house was like that, odd. She felt as though her skin was crawling here, either Seeva didn't notice or just didn't care. She spun around there was something here, something lingering, she could feel it.it stirred the memories that belonged to 'him', she had felt this before.or he had? It was too confusing the memories were in her head, she could use them.therefore she had to pretend like they were hers or it would drive her nuts! She felt it again, like a persistent whispering, trying to break through to surface. So many memories in this house, all of the paintings as she'd noticed contained a part of that person, like an echo, forever remaining. She closed her eyes and tried to listen to this new part of her, the part that had drawn upon the rune magic, the part that could hear the dawn before it came. It guided her now, tracing out the rune with her hand she whispered it's name in to the deathly still air "Uraz. " A dangerous rune, one that required the strength and will earned over many lifetimes, she cast it all the same, the rune to pierce the veil between worlds. She felt the ripples through the air, as the magic flowed from her, the hairs on her skin stood on end as if caught in a maelstrom. The fleeting thought occurred that maybe she shouldn't give in to this magic so easily occurred, but she quickly swept it away, some how knowing, that any doubt and this casting would likely be fatal.  
  
She heard the whispering then as it increased in volume and became a crashing wave.there had been a death for a life that wasn't finished! The voice was met by a face in her minds eye, there was so much pain and grief in it.desperation to be heard and no one was listening.except her. A name came to her, Sirius Black. She tried to reach for more but it was impossible, he was in a place where life simply could not be, a void. She felt it now closing around her, trying to draw her in as well, it would have succeeded except for the voice.a man, she recognized it, her Uncle, he was calling to her, trying to hold her in place.  
  
Dumbledore stood at the edge of the room, he couldn't move further forward the magic Elena had cast was too strong, to dangerous to interfere with, he didn't dare, the space in front of him was as the void! The image of the rune hung above them, blazing like fire scorched into the very air.  
  
"Dear God! What is it Albus?" Minerva managed beside him, she was not alone as faces crowded the doorway watching the spectacle within.  
  
"She has pierced the veil between worlds, she stands now on the edge of the great void.I can do nothing." He replied his voice barely above a whisper.  
  
Elena saw this, saw it all, through a tunnel vision as the light around her began to fade. But she could not silence the cry, she did not try to, she would help Black, even as she though it she reached out to him, taking hold of his essence, stealing it from the nothingness it had fallen into. She only had to think of the rune in this place and it had power 'Raidho' the rune to return her through time and space. She held his essence tightly within her mind as the world spun and returned to focus.  
  
Harry watched in fascination that turned to horror as the room returned to normal, the cold eerie shimmer leaving it. Elena stood in the middle of the room, but as he looked, he saw something else, Sirius, his Godfather looked back at him as well, superimposed over her image, like a shadow.  
  
"My word." Lupin managed beside him.  
  
"Dear god Dumbledore what has she done?" Mad Eye hissed. Staring at the face of Sirius Black.  
  
"Elena?" Dumbledore asked tentatively, she did not respond.  
  
"Help me.." Sirius moaned.  
  
Harry rushed forward trying to get to his Godfather, shouting his name, trying to save him from whatever she'd done to him. He was held back by the most unlikely of people, Professor Dumbledore held him in a vice like grip and shook his head, staring transfixed at his niece.  
  
Elena felt light headed and so tired, she fought to remain awake, his voice filled her ears and the air, he was here, but he had no place to go, trapped still within her mind. She turned, she had to find a place for it.she stumbled slightly as she caught sight of the old picture, the image long faded, the essence long since passed. It would do. She raised her arm to the painting and fought for the strength to cast one last rune, the word came out in a rasped breath as her finger traced the symbol across the canvass. 'Dagaz' the rune of awakening. The moment it came from her lips, she felt him leave, following the magic into the canvas. It was the last thing she remembered as darkness engulfed her and she collapsed to the floor.  
  
Elena awoke to find her Uncle sitting beside her, a relieved expression on his face, the elderly witch stood beside him 'Minerva. Was that what he'd called her?' She pushed herself up into a sitting position.  
  
"Your awake." He stated softly.  
  
"Apparently." Elena replied wryly, not daring to smile at this, he had a dangerous look about him, much like the one her mother wore when she came home four hours after curfew. "Your going to yell aren't you."  
  
He shook his head. "Would there be much point?" He pointed out wearily. "What you did was not only dangerous but foolish. You can not simply play with that kind of magic. I will not tolerate it!"  
  
Elena just stared at him. "You think I'm playing?" She asked dangerously, a dark undercurrent to her question, which seemed to shake him.  
  
"What." He began, but she cut him off.  
  
"I can't help it, the magic uses me, the memories come and I can't fight it.it just happens. I heard him in that place, his voice screamed through the whole house; his death was not meant to be; he was trapped. I knew I could help him, could reach him so I did, I won't apologize for that Uncle."  
  
That seemed to unsettle him further. "Elena if this magic is using you then."  
  
"Not the magic, the memory of 'him'. Something happens, like upstairs, I felt the death, the shadow, and the memory came and with it the magic, I'm not always me in those moments, I'm older, wiser, stronger and I know I can do it, can control it."  
  
"Then I urge caution please for all our sakes, do not give in to the memories so blindly, they like the magic you wield can be dangerous, for all of us."  
  
Elena sighed and nodded; she'd already thought something along those lines anyway. She didn't like the loss of control no matter how powerful it made her. She turned back to look at him curiously, "Did it work?"  
  
Elena held her breath as she entered the room, everyone was in there, they all turned to stare at her, their expressions unreadable, all except Harry's he wore a grin that seemed to split his face. He approached her awkwardly.  
  
"Thank you, for what you did for him, it means a lot to all of us." He replied his voice a little gruff, obviously trying to control his stronger emotions.  
  
"Erm, sure." Elena muttered, still not entirely sure what she had achieved. They all parted to give her room; a painting hung on the wall the face of Sirius Black beamed back at her.  
  
"There she is My Hero." He grinned waving her forwards.  
  
"Hero huh, guess you didn't like it there?" She replied.  
  
"I don't know how you did it, but you saved my soul."  
  
"You died before your time. I just heard you." Elena managed weakly.  
  
"Still. What you did meant Sirius wasn't gone forever, his essence remains in this painting, and his soul was released from the void. No small feat." Lupin told her heavily.  
  
"Yeah well, just doing my part. Anyway." They continued on like this for some time, so much so that she wanted to punch the next person to thank her. Well at least they were talking to her now. Although it didn't bring Sirius back to life, at least his echo remained, it seemed to cheer the others at least. Apparently his mother had destroyed all the other paintings of Sirius. But the adulation soon got old when people started to ask questions, 'how had she pulled a soul from the other side?' Elena decided then that it was way past time she made herself scarce, she couldn't really explain it to herself let alone to them. So she managed to slink away, or at least she thought she had.  
  
She made it all the way to her bedroom, opened the door and found Hermione sitting on the bed obviously waiting for her. Elena rolled her eyes she'd barely spoken to the girl, she'd spoken more to the red haired woman's daughter Ginny than Hermione, she'd just seemed a little too much hard work. "Look I'm not really in the mood to talk, do you mind I just want to get some rest." Hermione didn't say anything for a few minutes. "I just wanted to thank you, for what you did, you have no idea how much it means to Harry to have something of Sirius back, to all of us."  
  
Elena sighed inwardly shaking her head, "Not you too. I hate to break it to you but I didn't do this for Harry, or for any of you, not even for Sirius, it just happened. I felt him and it sparked a memory that's all, the magic just came automatically."  
  
"Oh." Hermione muttered, "All the same, it doesn't matter why, just that you did. This is his house you know, the Order would have had to leave eventually, but with part of Sirius here, it keeps the magic spells on this house working."  
  
Elena tried to brush it off and went about organizing some of her stuff, hoping that Hermione would take the hint and leave. She didn't. Frustrated Elena turned back to face her. "Something else you want?"  
  
Hermione seemed to stew over the question before answering. "They're more afraid of you than ever now you know."  
  
That stopped Elena in her tracks, Hermione met her strong gaze. "Really." Elena stated trying not to show that it bothered her.  
  
"Come on. You managed to best five auroras and somehow pulled Sirius' soul from wherever it was. Even Dumbledore would have a problem doing all that and to think it's only your first day."  
  
"Do you actually have a point to make." Elena managed through grit teeth. Surprised at how quickly she seemed to get angry these days. "I mean compared to the famous Harry Potter and his friends my exploits must seem a bit mundane." She quipped sarcastically. It got the desired effect.  
  
"Hey I'm just trying to warn you, there's no need to get nasty about it." Hermione replied defensively.  
  
"Listen, I only just found out about magic a year ago and even then I didn't believe it until my Uncle took me sight seeing through the mall. Forgive me if I'm a little testy about the whole subject. Now he just expects me to come in here and." She trailed off realizing that was probably saying too much.  
  
But Hermione seemed to know what she was going to say anyway. "What. He expects you to save us all, is that it?"  
  
Elena glared at her. "Bout the gist of it yeah. Considering I'm meant to be some kind of super wizard. Hell I don't even know which way round to hold the damn wand!"  
  
Hermione grinned. "That's why I'm here." She replied softly. "I realised that as wise as Professor Dumbledore is he doesn't understand the muggle world very well. No one here does, even Harry; his experience was a little skewed. But I do, my parents are muggles. I live there whenever schools out." She explained.  
  
"And you figure what that we can just be friends cause we weren't born into this little wizard world of theirs?" Elena snapped.  
  
"Well technically, you were born into the greatest of all wizarding families." Hermione pointed out, but she received a look that stopped her from pressing the issue further. "I just know what it's like here if your not used to it. Things are different here, attitudes to. If you ever feel like you need to get perspective or something, maybe even someone who knows what it's like to drop chemistry for potions or whatever, I'm here okay."  
  
She didn't wait for a reply, she simply stood up and left closing the door behind her. Elena stood watching it for a few minutes, 'weird' she thought to herself. Not that she wasn't a little grateful for the offer, it just seemed odd.  
  
Her time at the house with the Order didn't go that well after that, people were walking on eggshells. Especially after they'd heard her and Dumbledore having a blazing row, in which at some point she'd called him a mindless old fool. Apparently that hadn't gone down too well, especially not when he'd accused her of indulging in the memory of a dangerous old wizard. She hadn't taken too kindly to the accusation that somehow Merlin was controlling her. He was afraid of her, they all knew it and it was unacceptable to them. But Elena couldn't change that, hell she was afraid of what was inside her, she'd be a fool not to be. Especially with the dreams she'd kept having. She'd begun to realise why her Uncle was so afraid of Merlin's knowledge. He may have gone down in the history books as a kindly old wizard, but that didn't seem to be the case, he was a druid, prone to sacrificing maidens to make a particular casting easier or less draining. Then there were the shadows, the place in her dreams that was surrounded with darkness and eyes that watched hungrily just beneath the surface, waiting.  
  
She couldn't sleep, her moods got worse and her temper flared. She couldn't go on like this she had to know and her Uncle at least seemed to understand the darkness that haunted her. She sat uneasily in front of him.  
  
"What did he do.what did Merlin awake in the shadows?" She asked uneasily, her blood pounding in her head.  
  
He sighed, he looked so old, so tired. "You have seen it then." He stated confirming his own suspicions.  
  
She nodded. "In my dreams. I feel it though, even when I'm awake, whatever he did, it still has an effect now. Those eyes. I keep seeing them everywhere, I think they're waiting for me and I don't think they're finished.  
  
What neither of them realised was that Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny were listening in with the Weasley twins and their latest gadgets. With every word they grew more concerned. "I don't think we should be listening to this." Harry spoke up, unable to keep his doubts to himself. If Dumbledore caught them, he knew they would be in serious trouble.  
  
"Harry this involves you, it always does and if it involves you then it'll no doubt end up involving the rest of us. We need to hear this so we can be ready for whatever happens next!" Fred and George argued together at them all. They went back to listening avidly.  
  
"Elena, you already know so much more about this than I. All I have are stories passed down through our family, in the hopes to deter any who might seek to follow him." He explained wearily.  
  
"That is still more than I have. I need to know whatever I can, I don't think I have much time before I get to see the whites of those eyes." Elena tried to express her sense of urgency.  
  
"Very well." He sighed beginning. "Merlin as you know had a great affinity with nature and the magical creatures that inhabit our world. They told him of their secrets, one in particular struck him; their tale of the Shadow- world, a place where the Shadowmen lived. They were obviously afraid to speak of it, but he was very persuasive, he learnt that these creatures fed on souls, they were torment embodied. Merlin wished to control this realm and harness its powers."  
  
Elena took this in slowly the memories stirred once more. The eyes flashed into view, old, ancient eyes cruel eyes. "But you can't control the Shadowmen." She mumbled. Her Uncle froze, hearing those words. "Those eyes should have told him all he needed to know, ancient eyes, cold as the ice of their world." She continued not seeing his obvious distress at her access to these memories.  
  
"The Shadowmen," she continued, "He captured them, contained them with his runes. They were furious, they escaped and demanded his soul as payment, but he tricked them into taking another's instead, his sister Morgana's." She swallowed the sick feeling in her stomach. He had been an ambitious son of a bitch, as cold as the Shadowmen he hunted.  
  
"You remember so much?" He asked his voice shook slightly.  
  
"I do now." She muttered. "He tricked the oldest of creatures at their cruelest of games. They were furious, but he died before they could lay claim to his soul again." She felt her stomach flip with fear. " But they never stopped lusting for it, they have a claim, part of him survives in me. they consider me fair game." She realised, her blood ran cold at the realization, that bastard had doomed her!  
  
Dumbledore was quiet for a long time after that, they sat in shared silence.  
  
"He was an idiot." Elena snapped bitterly.  
  
"Perhaps simply misguided." Dumbledore corrected. Elena glared at him disbelievingly.  
  
"So all this talk of a great legacy of magic, what I'm really getting is a death sentence. My soul is forfeit to those monsters!" Elena cried, furious now at the injustice of it all.  
  
"Elena." He began.  
  
"No Uncle. You have never seen one of these things. They are born perfect, beautiful. but as time moves on their outsides begin to reflect the evil within, they become hideously deformed; monsters in every meaning of the word. And they'll be coming for me. How the hell am I supposed to save the Wizarding world with that over my head. Not to mention protect your precious Harry Potter!" She yelled at him, redirecting her rage. "For God sakes I'm your family and you did this to me, I was safe until you gave me that rune. You care more about him than you ever have me. I'm just a means to an end!"  
  
"How dare you accuse me of such a thing!" He roared back at her.  
  
"Why not, it fits!" She sneered back at him.  
  
He gripped her roughly by the arm; she wrenched free and raised her fists. "Don't touch me!" He stepped back, hands raised passively.  
  
"Do you wish to hit me Elena, if so feel free, I will not stop you." He offered.  
  
That calmed her slightly, she couldn't hit him, she'd probably break his jaw! "What the hell do you expect me to do?" She bit off finally.  
  
"Well that's entirely dependent on you. There is always the possibility that you could do as Merlin once did and fool the Shadowmen into taking another soul, someone in your own bloodline perhaps, maybe a soul that might interest them more than your own."  
  
"You want me to offer them Voldemort." She clarified. He didn't dignify it with an answer, perhaps because saying it aloud would make it more real. "You must really hate him, to wish him such a fate."  
  
"For what he has done to so many innocent people, do you not think it a fitting punishment. He has always believed there is nothing worse than death, I believe you could show him otherwise." Dumbledore replied coldly.  
  
"Your more dangerous than any of them know, aren't you." She realised. "You realise if I can't do this, I could risk unleashing the Shadow World. It would not stop until it decimated all life!" She had no idea why the memories were coming to her now, perhaps it was just hearing the name of the place that haunted her dreams. But she knew now that every thing she said about it was true, her Uncle would risk unleashing the evil of the shadows, to catch another evil.  
  
"I am aware of the risk. But I have faith in you Elena; you have a power and a strength that Merlin did not. You will succeed where he failed. Where I have failed." He replied slumping back down into his chair, their discussion over. "Bloody hell." Ron gulped, suddenly wishing the lot of them had curbed their curiosity just this once. He could have done without hearing all that, he'd always been a little afraid of the dark, or rather the shadows it made, now he had good reason to fear them.  
  
"I've never heard Dumbledore sound so. ruthless." Hermione managed weakly, feeling sick to her stomach. "She's he's niece and it's like he doesn't even care."  
  
"We're at war Hermione, he's doing what needs to be done." Harry replied dazed.  
  
"Yeah but he's taking it a bit far, I mean I always thought he was powerful enough to take on You Know Who himself. I'm not sure releasing one evil to catch another is such a good idea." Fred whispered nervously.  
  
"Even with someone as gorgeous as Elena at the helm!" George added helpfully receiving a sharp blow to the ribs from Ron for his trouble.  
  
"Besides, I don't need protecting either!" Harry grumbled. "I think I've done alright so far!"  
  
"Maybe I should leave you to it then." Elena's voice startled them all. They spun around to face her, their expressions priceless, as they looked nervously for Dumbledore obviously relieved to find he wasn't there.  
  
"Elena, hi we were just." George began.  
  
"Listening in on private family conversations?" Elena teased, apparently more than her memories had surfaced; a certain vindictive nature seemed to be trying to assert itself. "Your lucky my Uncle isn't here, the mood he's in he'd probably have turned you all into toads and kept you locked in a jar until the end of the war!" She grinned at their panicked expressions. "Seriously though, you should keep your nose out of thing's that don't concern you, maybe it'd make protecting you easier."  
  
Harry seethed at this, who was she to tell him off; he'd been through more than she ever had. Hadn't he?  
  
"Look we're really sorry, please don't tell the Professor." Hermione pleaded.  
  
Elena raised an eyebrow. "Whatever." She muttered. "I have to go pack for school, we're leaving tomorrow." She smiled thinly at them and disappeared upstairs. Elena sat uneasily at the table, the others were either pointedly glancing at her, or trying not to, she rolled her eyes and looked away, adjusting her school robes. Something she wasn't sure she'd ever get used to. She was still in her own little world when every one got up to leave. She had too much on her mind to even contemplate lessons, exams, teachers and rules. It just seemed ridiculous to her now, although she was a little excited to see this school, Hermione had leant her 'Hogwarts a History' and she'd read some of it. The school ghosts sounded. odd, but whatever works. She got up and collected her belongings, the trunk whizzing along behind her, it sure made packing easier when you didn't have to lug it around!  
  
The journey to the train station was quick, taken by a car that seemed able to defy the laws of the road and physics all at once. She seemed to be the only one with white knuckles when it had finished. The train station was at least a quick blast of reality, it helped her remember herself, her life. But just as quickly as it happened it was torn away from her as one by one the others started to disappear through the wall between platforms 9 and 10. This was her last chance, she could just walk away, try and forget everything she had learnt and seen, go back to her normal life, high- school, prom. A young boy went by gripping his mothers hand, looking bewildered as he watched the trains, he turned to glance up at her, Seeba popped his head up and stuck his tongue out, releasing a his. The boy recoiled in fear and surprise, darting behind his mother who had remained oblivious to his plight. She sighed, she couldn't go back, not now, she knew too much, was too different now, how could she ever forget the magic that haunted her dreams, she could never escape the shadows, no matter where she was. She stepped through the wall, glancing back for one last look at the world she was leaving behind. The eyes loomed in front of her face, inches away, shining as blue as the core of a flame with a feral intensity. Elena's heart stopped, as she was pulled through the wall, spinning through the nothingness until she appeared on the other side. The eyes did not follow, her heart started again, pounding away in her chest; she knew those eyes. The faces of students swam past, voices came all in a rush as she was guided to the train and a carriage, and took a seat. The train had started before she was able to shake herself into alertness; that had been a Shadowman, here in her world. 'How?' Was too inadequate a question, it just didn't resonate the seriousness of this. Strange that she only saw his eyes, it was as thought they had absorbed her, looking into her very soul, which wasn't probably too far from the truth. It brought the reality of her destiny her power to the fore, she couldn't shy away, they wouldn't let her. To them it didn't matter who she thought she was, who she wanted to be, if she wanted to ignore her heritage it made no difference to them, they would take her soul all the same, unless she could give them another. It was a dark line of thought and it stayed with her the entire journey. Elena stood staring up in disbelief, speechless, 'This was a school? It looked more like some kind of huge castle from Dungeons and Dragons.' It stood silhouetted against the night sky, the candlelight's from within casting an eerie glow over the whole grounds. She followed the other students mechanically as they headed towards carriages, she recoiled at what drew them, they were like horses, but grotesque and twice the size. No one else seemed to either notice or care that creatures that looked and smelt like zombies were leading the carriages.  
  
"They're Thestrals." Harry's voice answered her unspoken question.  
  
Elena turned to stare at him, then back at the beasts. "Are they dangerous?"  
  
He shrugged "Not as far as I know, they like blood, but I don't think they'll attack to get it." He added thoughtfully.  
  
"Has everyone else just got used to them?" She asked noting that no one else so much as glanced at them.  
  
He shook his head. "Only people who have seen death can see them. That's why they're considered unlucky, but I quite like them." He answered, petting one lightly on the mane.  
  
"I've never seen any one die." Elena wondered out loud.  
  
Harry looked at her oddly. "Maybe you haven't, but maybe some part of you has."  
  
Elena watched, surprised at his insight, as he walked away and clambered up into the carriage to join his friends. She glanced back at the Thestrals, they were just another reminder that maybe she would always be different, that the rules just didn't seem to apply to her. She put it aside for now, she had to focus, with that in mind she climbed into the carriage.  
  
The great hall was as big as she had imagined, full of colour and voices. She had been separated from the others and now followed a gaggle of nervous looking first years. She stuck out like a saw thumb, being several foot taller than everyone else, she sighed and held her head high as she walked through the rows of students, appraising glances she was used to, she cold deal with this.  
  
The sorting hat belted out a song about the houses and history, one by one the first years sat down and were 'sorted' into the houses. The last student was called out, and she hurried away to join the Hufflepuff table. Elena eyed the hat nervously and stole a glance at her Uncle, who seemed to realise this could pose a problem. In all the time they'd spent together this summer they'd never discussed the sorting, probably because they'd been too busy shouting at one another. Professor McGonagal indicated for her to step forward.  
  
"Elena Marvolo Raven." She announced.  
  
Elena gingerly eased her self onto the seat.  
  
"Elena will be joining us from America." McGonagal continued "And will be entering the sixth form. I trust you will all make her feel welcome."  
  
Harry sat watching anxiously, his friends beside him, they knew Elena's family history, where would the hat decide to put her? He felt Seamus nudge him in the ribs.  
  
"Oh please let her be Gryffindor." Seamus murmured his eyes seeming to glaze over as he stared at her, his mouth hanging open. Harry had to admit she was really beautiful, but it just made her heritage all the more painful, he couldn't look at her without seeing it. No one else seemed to have the same problem, even Ron, who was utterly terrified of her, was staring at her openly, as was every other male member of the school. He felt a twinge of jealousy when he noticed Malfoy's reaction to her, he practically shoved a first year under the table to get a better view.  
  
The sorting hat was lowered over Elena's head.  
  
"Oh my word!" The hat exclaimed in her ear. "What do we have here. power yes and history. Three of the great houses!"  
  
Elena rolled her eyes. "So pick one." She muttered "Just like you do for everyone else."  
  
"It's not as easy as you think, it will influence you, I have to get this one right, wouldn't do to have this kind of power under the wrong house." It prattled on.  
  
Elena sighed and let the hat make it's choice, however difficult it seemed. She stared across the hall, Harry and his friends were all in Gryffindor; if she wanted to keep an eye on them, she needed to be in that house. But she wasn't so certain that she should go there, Slytherin seemed more appropriate, considering her affinity for snakes, missing Seeba as she thought about it, he was probably safely tucked away in his box somewhere, waiting to be placed in her room the minute the hat made it's choice.  
  
"Have a job to do don't you." The hat asked solemnly. Elena didn't answer. "Very well I think it better be. Gryffindor!" The hat cried out the name. The hall erupted in cheers and whoops, loudest from the Gryffindor table. Even Harry seemed to crack a smile.  
  
Elena made her way down to a seat, which seemed to have miraculously appeared next to a group of sixth form boys. The food appeared in front of her with a clap from her Uncle's hands. Pumpkin juice hadn't sounded all that appetising but it wasn't actually as bad as she had thought. She managed a little idle conversation, though she noted that the guys around her didn't seem too interested in what she had to say, just so long as everyone else saw her talking to them. She rolled her eyes it was just like highschool, somehow she'd hoped it would have been different. She looked up to see Hermione squeeze in beside her, flashing her prefects badge at the guy next to her that seemed more than reluctant to move.  
  
"Hey see wasn't so bad." Hermione managed, easing herself into the seat.  
  
Elena smiled. "Gryffindor huh. Kind of a surprise. Thought I was destined for Slytherin."  
  
Hermione grinned. "I bet it couldn't decide. Could have just as easily been Ravenclaw." She added thoughtfully, picking up a chicken leg.  
  
"I didn't think it would listen to me, I said I needed to be here." Elena muttered, picking up her drink to hide her conversation from the ears that were straining all around."  
  
Hermione nodded. "It does that, I asked for Gryffindor too, the hat wanted Ravenclaw." She leaned closer, cupping her hand over Elena's ear. "McGonigal told me that we'd be sharing a dorm room, this year, that way if anything weird happens. it won't get all around the school."  
  
Elena grinned. "Weird, me?" She teased. Hermione just shot her a knowing look.  
  
"So do you two know each other?" the guy who'd introduced himself as Seamus asked, his Scottish accent making it hard for her to understand much of what he said.  
  
"A little." Elena replied. Leaving it at that, despite the desperate look on his face for more information.  
  
She found herself relieved when the tables cleared and her Uncle announced the start of term notices, they all seemed to carry with them a heavy undertone, being that Voldemort was back in action, it seemed to remind everyone of the situation. The threat of Deatheaters and Dementors was not helping to ease the tensions. She followed the others out of the hall and through the winding corridors and moving staircases, as Hermione led the way for the first years. The paintings on the walls cast sidelong looks at her and began to whisper among themselves, as she passed, she got the distinct impression that whilst the students remained oblivious to her heritage, the castle certainly was not.  
  
The common room was cozy at least, decked out in reds and gold's. She was insantly swamped with questions and names she knew she'd never remember, these guys had known each other for years, she felt out of place, at least Hermione seemed to understand her discomfort. Harry on the other hand had pointedly ignored her; Ron didn't seem so happy about that arrangement but had followed all the same.  
  
She was relieved beyond believe when Hermione offered to show her, her room, she'd never thought she'd feel quite so happy about the idea of spending time with Hermione. There were two four poster beds, her stuff was neatly packed around the one and Seeva was lying curled up on her pillow. She collapsed onto the bed, waking him up with a hiss. "Tell me they'll leave me alone, one more question about why I transferred and I may just blow that person up!  
  
"They're just curious, most people just arrive in the first year, that makes you the talk of the school." Hermione pointed out the obvious.  
  
"Lets hope they don't find out about my other deep dark secrets then, that would really make me the talk of the school." Elena muttered under her breath, apparently not quiet enough, Hermione grinned despite herself.  
  
Her first lesson was transfigurations, apparently she wasn't given much of a choice in her subjects, her Uncle had chosen the most suitable. Although she had insisted on Potions herself, it was the only subject that seemed familiar. That and the teacher Snape had interested her. Though Ron had seemed horrified at her choice.  
  
Professor McGonigal didn't seem all that thrilled to have her here, Hermione was sat beside her, last night she'd tried to cram five years worth of magical knowledge into her head, she'd only heard the first lesson before her mind had been asleep, her body following shortly after. She regretted that now, McGonigal had started out with a rousing speech about how she only had accepted those students who had excelled in their OWLS. Hermione gave her a sympathetic look, whilst McGonigal glared at her.  
  
"Every one please get out your wands." Today we are going to attempt a NEWT level transformation, pay attention class because this comes up often in exams."  
  
Elena reached into her pocket and wrapped her hand around the wand, hesitating, she'd only taken it out of it's box once, and that was to put it in her pocket. She felt the energy from it hum in her hand, she prayed that when she pulled it out it wouldn't be glowing or something. She pursed her lips, took a breath and took it out. It looked like everyone else's, she'd never been so relieved, her breath came out in a rush.  
  
She tried to listen to the Professors instructions, but it wasn't English, maybe Latin. she didn't understand a word. She didn't want to look like a fool, the gist of what she'd got was she had to transform a fish bowl with a live gold fish in it, into a white feather. Most people had managed an orange bit of fluff, she held her wand in front of her and closed her eyes. She knew Latin, she was sure of it. well a part of her was, she needed to draw on that part of her now, slowly she went back into the Shadows, searching, the words tumbled around her, she clutched at them. understanding the words would help cast the spell accurately. They reached her mouth, she opened her eyes and spoke them, "Fereverto aquatica." To her horror the wand hummed violently in her hand, and the runes engraved upon it began to glow bright silver and before her eyes, the gold fish and bowl, began to change, becoming a feather before her eyes.  
  
Hermione sat beside her, her eyes wide, "Your wand!" she managed helping her to try and cover it up. They managed to get the damn thing still glowing, back into her pocket. Professor McGonigal, took one look at her feather, congratulated her a little briskly and then moved on. "What the hell was that?" Hermione whispered.  
  
"I can't help it, the damn thing used to belong to 'him' it's got runes carved all over it. nothing I do is ever going to be normal is it?" She moaned forlornly.  
  
Hermione smiled sympathetically and patted her comfortingly on the arm, "On the bright side you did make a feather! It looks better than my orange ball of yarn." She pointed out looking despairingly at her effort.  
  
Thankfully her other lessons went without incident, Arithmacy was as boring as she'd expected, she was relieved beyond belief that she wouldn't have to take Runes until tomorrow, she could only assume it was her Uncle's sick sense of humour. That or her wanted her to correct the teacher? She grinned to herself and continued on down the corridoor, she could have sworn this was the basement, if castles even had them? Suddenly the creepy image of Snape that everyone had given her seemed to fit. She realised that Seamus was talking to her, she nodded politely, she found him hard enough to understand at the best of times. Apparently if she'd heard him correctly he was explaining that all the houses now had their lessons together due to only a few people from each choosing to continue in certain subjects. Then he went into a tirade about Snape and how he was the most awful teacher in the whole school, then grinning reminded her that he'd stick up for her. Elena just smiled thanking him, this teacher couldn't be that bad could he?  
  
They reached the room, it looked more like a dungeon than a classroom. Students had gathered. Instantly one guy caught her eye, platinum blond hair, smirk, cute, and he was heading her way.  
  
"I don't think we've been introduced, I'm Draco Malfoy." He told her, smiling, his hand outstretched.  
  
She returned the smile, and shook the hand. "Elena Raven." She added helpfully, knowing he already knew, everyone did.  
  
"So you came here from America." He began. "Still Snape must rate you, he only accepts the best, that's why Potter and his lot aren't here." He added smuggly looking pointedly at Seamus. "Of course, occasionally he makes an exception, doesn't he Heaney?" He mocked the young man at her side.  
  
Elena smiled thinly. "Comedian huh." She teased, trying to diffuse the situation. "Since you seem to know so much about this class and Snape I guess you can be my lab partner and show me how it's done." She smiled and took his arm, leading him to a bench, not taking no for an answer, fortunately he didn't seem to have a problem. She turned slyly to wink at Seamus, to keep on his good side. In her defence, Draco seemed more interesting and better looking. Besides, Harry had told her quite a bit about Malfoy, she was keen to see just how bad he really was. 'I mean you had to keep a close eye on your enemies in such dark times!' She reasoned to herself.  
  
Snape flew in looking every inch the greasy haired nasty piece of work, everyone had made him out to be. He stormed in, took one look at her and sneered. "I had no say on your acceptance into my class Miss Raven, do not expect any special treatment here." He snapped.  
  
Elena raised an eyebrow, apparently he wasn't one for subtle. She smiled sweetly at him. "I wouldn't dream of it Professor." she teased, meeting his glare with a sultry stare of her own. He looked less than amused, oddly she couldn't seem to find it in her to care. What was he going to do, fail her? Kick her out of the class, she was quite certain her Uncle had chosen these classes for a reason and Snape was not going to interfere with that.  
  
"Yes well since you seem so enthusiastic, perhaps you can help start this year off. We are going to be making a very difficult potion, Veritasium, a truth serum. If you would be so kind, as to tell the rest of the class which ingredients to use." He asked pointedly.  
  
Elena met his challenging stare, so he wanted to embarrass her did he, make her look like an idiot. She smiled. "Certainly Professor." That got his attention, perhaps he'd expected a blank stare, an embarrassed stammer, her apology that she didn't know. He seemed to realise it might have been a mistake to challenge her like that, he could risk exposing her. He seemed about to stop her.  
  
But it was too late, Elena had already withdrawn into herself, searching for potions, she found what she was looking for and had begun to speak the ingredients before she realised what she was saying. "Hemlock root and eye of newt, bats entrails and old sows ears, a dead mans toe and maidens heart. add a Unicorns hair to be sure the truth is all you hear."  
  
She met him with a fixed stare, he looked horrified, but only for an instant. She looked around, people looked a little unnerved to be sure. "Maidens heart?" she heard Seamus mutter.  
  
"Yes well Miss Raven, the Americans may still be partial to sacrificing a maiden to get a potion brewed but here in Britain we do things a little differently." He snapped.  
  
"You mean she was right, that stuff works?" Malfoy voiced what the rest of the class was obviously dying to know from the looks on their faces.  
  
Snape turned and glared at Malfoy as though he was something most unpleasant. "Not that is any concern of yours Malfoy. But yes, it would suffice, perhaps a little outdated by a few thousand years, but I don't recall setting a time limit. If you are all quite finished, I would like to start." He snapped, writing the ingredients up onto the board.  
  
Malfoy was staring at her, she gave him a sideways grin and tried to pay attention, ignoring the fact that the ingredients she'd given had been more than a little disturbing. So much so that the one kid who'd probably end up a Deatheater seemed impressed by her.  
  
Elena was dreading the end of class, she had a fair idea of what was going to happen, she wasn't disappointed, Snape turned to her as she was packing her things up and asked her to stay behind. 


End file.
